English
OneofthefirstconsequencesofthediscoveryoftheunionwasthatJurgisbecamedesirousoflearningEnglish.
Hewantedtoknowwhatwasgoingonatthemeetings,andtobeabletotakepartinthem,andsohebegantolookabouthim,andtotrytopickupwords.
Thechildren,whowereatschool,andlearningfast,wouldteachhimafew;andafriendloanedhimalittlebookthathadsomeinit,andOnawouldreadthemtohim.
ThenJurgisbecamesorrythathecouldnotreadhimself;andlateroninthewinter,whensomeonetoldhimthattherewasanightschoolthatwasfree,hewentandenrolled.
Afterthat,everyeveningthathegothomefromtheyardsintime,hewouldgototheschool;hewouldgoevenifhewereintimeforonlyhalfanhour.
TheywereteachinghimbothtoreadandtospeakEnglish—andtheywouldhavetaughthimotherthings,ifonlyhehadhadalittletime.
Alsotheunionmadeanothergreatdifferencewithhim—itmadehimbegintopayattentiontothecountry.
Itwasthebeginningofdemocracywithhim.
Itwasalittlestate,theunion,aminiaturerepublic;itsaffairswereeveryman’saffairs,andeverymanhadarealsayaboutthem.
Inotherwords,intheunionJurgislearnedtotalkpolitics.
Intheplacewherehehadcomefromtherehadnotbeenanypolitics—inRussiaonethoughtofthegovernmentasanafflictionlikethelightningandthehail.
“Duck,littlebrother,duck,”thewiseoldpeasantswouldwhisper;“everythingpassesaway.”
AndwhenJurgishadfirstcometoAmericahehadsupposedthatitwasthesame.
Hehadheardpeoplesaythatitwasafreecountry—butwhatdidthatmean?
Hefoundthathere,preciselyasinRussia,therewererichmenwhoownedeverything;andifonecouldnotfindanywork,wasnotthehungerhebegantofeelthesamesortofhunger?
WhenJurgishadbeenworkingaboutthreeweeksatBrown’s,therehadcometohimonenoontimeamanwhowasemployedasanightwatchman,andwhoaskedhimifhewouldnotliketotakeoutnaturalizationpapersandbecomeacitizen.
Jurgisdidnotknowwhatthatmeant,butthemanexplainedtheadvantages.
Inthefirstplace,itwouldnotcosthimanything,anditwouldgethimhalfadayoff,withhispayjustthesame;andthenwhenelectiontimecamehewouldbeabletovote—andtherewassomethinginthat.
Jurgiswasnaturallygladtoaccept,andsothenightwatchmansaidafewwordstotheboss,andhewasexcusedfortherestoftheday.
When,lateron,hewantedaholidaytogetmarriedhecouldnotgetit;andasforaholidaywithpayjustthesame—whatpowerhadwroughtthatmiracleheavenonlyknew!
However,hewentwiththeman,whopickedupseveralothernewlylandedimmigrants,Poles,Lithuanians,andSlovaks,andtookthemalloutside,wherestoodagreatfour-horsetallyhocoach,withfifteenortwentymenalreadyinit.
Itwasafinechancetoseethesightsofthecity,andthepartyhadamerrytime,withplentyofbeerhandedupfrominside.
Sotheydrovedowntownandstoppedbeforeanimposinggranitebuilding,inwhichtheyinterviewedanofficial,whohadthepapersallready,withonlythenamestobefilledin.
Soeachmaninturntookanoathofwhichhedidnotunderstandaword,andthenwaspresentedwithahandsomeornamenteddocumentwithabigredsealandtheshieldoftheUnitedStatesuponit,andwastoldthathehadbecomeacitizenoftheRepublicandtheequalofthePresidenthimself.
AmonthortwolaterJurgishadanotherinterviewwiththissameman,whotoldhimwheretogoto“register.”
Andthenfinally,whenelectiondaycame,thepackinghousespostedanoticethatmenwhodesiredtovotemightremainawayuntilninethatmorning,andthesamenightwatchmantookJurgisandtherestofhisflockintothebackroomofasaloon,andshowedeachofthemwhereandhowtomarkaballot,andthengaveeachtwodollars,andtookthemtothepollingplace,wheretherewasapolicemanondutyespeciallytoseethattheygotthroughallright.
JurgisfeltquiteproudofthisgoodlucktillhegothomeandmetJonas,whohadtakentheleaderasideandwhisperedtohim,offeringtovotethreetimesforfourdollars,whichofferhadbeenaccepted.
AndnowintheunionJurgismetmenwhoexplainedallthismysterytohim;andhelearnedthatAmericadifferedfromRussiainthatitsgovernmentexistedundertheformofademocracy.
Theofficialswhoruledit,andgotallthegraft,hadtobeelectedfirst;andsothereweretworivalsetsofgrafters,knownaspoliticalparties,andtheonegottheofficewhichboughtthemostvotes.
Nowandthen,theelectionwasveryclose,andthatwasthetimethepoormancamein.
Inthestockyardsthiswasonlyinnationalandstateelections,forinlocalelectionstheDemocraticPartyalwayscarriedeverything.
TherulerofthedistrictwasthereforetheDemocraticboss,alittleIrishmannamedMikeScully.
Scullyheldanimportantpartyofficeinthestate,andbossedeventhemayorofthecity,itwassaid;itwashisboastthathecarriedthestockyardsinhispocket.
Hewasanenormouslyrichman—hehadahandinallthebiggraftintheneighborhood.
ItwasScully,forinstance,whoownedthatdumpwhichJurgisandOnahadseenthefirstdayoftheirarrival.
Notonlydidheownthedump,butheownedthebrickfactoryaswell,andfirsthetookouttheclayandmadeitintobricks,andthenhehadthecitybringgarbagetofillupthehole,sothathecouldbuildhousestoselltothepeople.
Then,too,hesoldthebrickstothecity,athisownprice,andthecitycameandgottheminitsownwagons.
Andalsoheownedtheotherholenearby,wherethestagnantwaterwas;anditwashewhocuttheiceandsoldit;andwhatwasmore,ifthementoldtruth,hehadnothadtopayanytaxesforthewater,andhehadbuilttheicehouseoutofcitylumber,andhadnothadtopayanythingforthat.
Thenewspapershadgotholdofthatstory,andtherehadbeenascandal;butScullyhadhiredsomebodytoconfessandtakealltheblame,andthenskipthecountry.
Itwassaid,too,thathehadbuilthisbrick-kilninthesameway,andthattheworkmenwereonthecitypayrollwhiletheydidit;however,onehadtopresscloselytogetthesethingsoutofthemen,foritwasnottheirbusiness,andMikeScullywasagoodmantostandinwith.
Anotesignedbyhimwasequaltoajobanytimeatthepackinghouses;andalsoheemployedagoodmanymenhimself,andworkedthemonlyeighthoursaday,andpaidthemthehighestwages.
Thisgavehimmanyfriends—allofwhomhehadgottentogetherintothe“WarWhoopLeague,”whoseclubhouseyoumightseejustoutsideoftheyards.
Itwasthebiggestclubhouse,andthebiggestclub,inallChicago;andtheyhadprizefightseverynowandthen,andcockfightsandevendogfights.
Thepolicemeninthedistrictallbelongedtotheleague,andinsteadofsuppressingthefights,theysoldticketsforthem.
ThemanthathadtakenJurgistobenaturalizedwasoneofthese“Indians,”astheywerecalled;andonelectiondaytherewouldbehundredsofthemout,andallwithbigwadsofmoneyintheirpocketsandfreedrinksateverysalooninthedistrict.
Thatwasanotherthing,themensaid—allthesaloon-keepershadtobe“Indians,”andtoputupondemand,otherwisetheycouldnotdobusinessonSundays,norhaveanygamblingatall.
InthesamewayScullyhadallthejobsinthefiredepartmentathisdisposal,andalltherestofthecitygraftinthestockyardsdistrict;hewasbuildingablockofflatssomewhereuponAshlandAvenue,andthemanwhowasoverseeingitforhimwasdrawingpayasacityinspectorofsewers.
Thecityinspectorofwaterpipeshadbeendeadandburiedforoverayear,butsomebodywasstilldrawinghispay.
ThecityinspectorofsidewalkswasabarkeeperattheWarWhoopCafe—andmaybehecouldmakeituncomfortableforanytradesmanwhodidnotstandinwithScully!
Eventhepackerswereinaweofhim,sothemensaid.
Itgavethempleasuretobelievethis,forScullystoodasthepeople’sman,andboastedofitboldlywhenelectiondaycame.
ThepackershadwantedabridgeatAshlandAvenue,buttheyhadnotbeenabletogetittilltheyhadseenScully;anditwasthesamewith“BubblyCreek,”whichthecityhadthreatenedtomakethepackerscoverover,tillScullyhadcometotheiraid.
“BubblyCreek”isanarmoftheChicagoRiver,andformsthesouthernboundaryoftheyards:allthedrainageofthesquaremileofpackinghousesemptiesintoit,sothatitisreallyagreatopensewerahundredortwofeetwide.
Onelongarmofitisblind,andthefilthstaysthereforeverandaday.
Thegreaseandchemicalsthatarepouredintoitundergoallsortsofstrangetransformations,whicharethecauseofitsname;itisconstantlyinmotion,asifhugefishwerefeedinginit,orgreatleviathansdisportingthemselvesinitsdepths.
Bubblesofcarbonicacidgaswillrisetothesurfaceandburst,andmakeringstwoorthreefeetwide.
Hereandtherethegreaseandfilthhavecakedsolid,andthecreeklookslikeabedoflava;chickenswalkaboutonit,feeding,andmanytimesanunwarystrangerhasstartedtostrollacross,andvanishedtemporarily.
Thepackersusedtoleavethecreekthatway,tilleverynowandthenthesurfacewouldcatchonfireandburnfuriously,andthefiredepartmentwouldhavetocomeandputitout.
Once,however,aningeniousstrangercameandstartedtogatherthisfilthinscows,tomakelardoutof;thenthepackerstookthecue,andgotoutaninjunctiontostophim,andafterwardgathereditthemselves.
Thebanksof“BubblyCreek”areplasteredthickwithhairs,andthisalsothepackersgatherandclean.
Andtherewerethingsevenstrangerthanthis,accordingtothegossipofthemen.
Thepackershadsecretmains,throughwhichtheystolebillionsofgallonsofthecity’swater.
Thenewspapershadbeenfullofthisscandal—oncetherehadevenbeenaninvestigation,andanactualuncoveringofthepipes;butnobodyhadbeenpunished,andthethingwentrighton.
Andthentherewasthecondemnedmeatindustry,withitsendlesshorrors.
ThepeopleofChicagosawthegovernmentinspectorsinPackingtown,andtheyalltookthattomeanthattheywereprotectedfromdiseasedmeat;theydidnotunderstandthatthesehundredandsixty-threeinspectorshadbeenappointedattherequestofthepackers,andthattheywerepaidbytheUnitedStatesgovernmenttocertifythatallthediseasedmeatwaskeptinthestate.
Theyhadnoauthoritybeyondthat;fortheinspectionofmeattobesoldinthecityandstatethewholeforceinPackingtownconsistedofthreehenchmenofthelocalpoliticalmachine!
(RulesandRegulationsfortheInspectionofLivestockandTheirProducts.UnitedStatesDepartmentofAgriculture,BureauofAnimalIndustries,OrderNo.125:—
Section1.Proprietorsofslaughterhouses,canning,salting,packing,orrenderingestablishmentsengagedintheslaughteringofcattle,sheep.
orswine,orthepackingofanyoftheirproducts,thecarcassesorproductsofwhicharetobecomesubjectsofinterstateorforeigncommerce,shallmakeapplicationtotheSecretaryofAgricultureforinspectionofsaidanimalsandtheirproducts….
Section15.Suchrejectedorcondemnedanimalsshallatonceberemovedbytheownersfromthepenscontaininganimalswhichhavebeeninspectedandfoundtobefreefromdiseaseandfitforhumanfood,andshallbedisposedofinaccordancewiththelaws,ordinances,andregulationsofthestateandmunicipalityinwhichsaidrejectedorcondemnedanimalsarelocated….
Section25.Amicroscopicexaminationfortrichinaeshallbemadeofallswineproductsexportedtocountriesrequiringsuchexamination.
Nomicroscopicexaminationwillbemadeofhogsslaughteredforinterstatetrade,butthisexaminationshallbeconfinedtothoseintendedfortheexporttrade.)
Andshortlyafterwardoneofthese,aphysician,madethediscoverythatthecarcassesofsteerswhichhadbeencondemnedastubercularbythegovernmentinspectors,andwhichthereforecontainedptomaines,whicharedeadlypoisons,wereleftuponanopenplatformandcartedawaytobesoldinthecity;andsoheinsistedthatthesecarcassesbetreatedwithaninjectionofkerosene—andwasorderedtoresignthesameweek!
Soindignantwerethepackersthattheywentfarther,andcompelledthemayortoabolishthewholebureauofinspection;sothatsincethentherehasnotbeenevenapretenseofanyinterferencewiththegraft.
Therewassaidtobetwothousanddollarsaweekhushmoneyfromthetubercularsteersalone;andasmuchagainfromthehogswhichhaddiedofcholeraonthetrains,andwhichyoumightseeanydaybeingloadedintoboxcarsandhauledawaytoaplacecalledGlobe,inIndiana,wheretheymadeafancygradeoflard.
Jurgisheardofthesethingslittlebylittle,inthegossipofthosewhowereobligedtoperpetratethem.
Itseemedasifeverytimeyoumetapersonfromanewdepartment,youheardofnewswindlesandnewcrimes.
Therewas,forinstance,aLithuanianwhowasacattlebutcherfortheplantwhereMarijahadworked,whichkilledmeatforcanningonly;andtohearthismandescribetheanimalswhichcametohisplacewouldhavebeenworthwhileforaDanteoraZola.
Itseemedthattheymusthaveagenciesalloverthecountry,tohuntoutoldandcrippledanddiseasedcattletobecanned.
Therewerecattlewhichhadbeenfedon“whisky-malt,”therefuseofthebreweries,andhadbecomewhatthemencalled“steerly”—whichmeanscoveredwithboils.
Itwasanastyjobkillingthese,forwhenyouplungedyourknifeintothemtheywouldburstandsplashfoul-smellingstuffintoyourface;andwhenaman’ssleevesweresmearedwithblood,andhishandssteepedinit,howwasheevertowipehisface,ortoclearhiseyessothathecouldsee?
Itwasstuffsuchasthisthatmadethe“embalmedbeef”thathadkilledseveraltimesasmanyUnitedStatessoldiersasallthebulletsoftheSpaniards;onlythearmybeef,besides,wasnotfreshcanned,itwasoldstuffthathadbeenlyingforyearsinthecellars.
ThenoneSundayevening,Jurgissatpuffinghispipebythekitchenstove,andtalkingwithanoldfellowwhomJonashadintroduced,andwhoworkedinthecanningroomsatDurham’s;andsoJurgislearnedafewthingsaboutthegreatandonlyDurhamcannedgoods,whichhadbecomeanationalinstitution.
TheywereregularalchemistsatDurham’s;theyadvertisedamushroom-catsup,andthemenwhomadeitdidnotknowwhatamushroomlookedlike.
Theyadvertised“pottedchicken,”—anditwasliketheboardinghousesoupofthecomicpapers,throughwhichachickenhadwalkedwithrubberson.
Perhapstheyhadasecretprocessformakingchickenschemically—whoknows?
saidJurgis’friend;thethingsthatwentintothemixtureweretripe,andthefatofpork,andbeefsuet,andheartsofbeef,andfinallythewasteendsofveal,whentheyhadany.
Theyputtheseupinseveralgrades,andsoldthematseveralprices;butthecontentsofthecansallcameoutofthesamehopper.
Andthentherewas“pottedgame”and“pottedgrouse,”“pottedham,”and“deviledham”—de-vyled,asthemencalledit.
“De-vyled”hamwasmadeoutofthewasteendsofsmokedbeefthatweretoosmalltobeslicedbythemachines;andalsotripe,dyedwithchemicalssothatitwouldnotshowwhite;andtrimmingsofhamsandcornedbeef;andpotatoes,skinsandall;andfinallythehardcartilaginousgulletsofbeef,afterthetongueshadbeencutout.
Allthisingeniousmixturewasgroundupandflavoredwithspicestomakeittastelikesomething.
AnybodywhocouldinventanewimitationhadbeensureofafortunefromoldDurham,saidJurgis’informant;butitwashardtothinkofanythingnewinaplacewheresomanysharpwitshadbeenatworkforsolong;wheremenwelcomedtuberculosisinthecattletheywerefeeding,becauseitmadethemfattenmorequickly;andwheretheyboughtupalltheoldrancidbutterleftoverinthegrocerystoresofacontinent,and“oxidized”itbyaforced-airprocess,totakeawaytheodor,rechurneditwithskimmilk,andsolditinbricksinthecities!
Uptoayearortwoagoithadbeenthecustomtokillhorsesintheyards—ostensiblyforfertilizer;butafterlongagitationthenewspapershadbeenabletomakethepublicrealizethatthehorseswerebeingcanned.
NowitwasagainstthelawtokillhorsesinPackingtown,andthelawwasreallycompliedwith—forthepresent,atanyrate.
Anyday,however,onemightseesharp-hornedandshaggy-hairedcreaturesrunningwiththesheepandyetwhatajobyouwouldhavetogetthepublictobelievethatagoodpartofwhatitbuysforlambandmuttonisreallygoat’sflesh!
TherewasanotherinterestingsetofstatisticsthatapersonmighthavegatheredinPackingtown—thoseofthevariousafflictionsoftheworkers.
WhenJurgishadfirstinspectedthepackingplantswithSzedvilas,hehadmarveledwhilehelistenedtothetaleofallthethingsthatweremadeoutofthecarcassesofanimals,andofallthelesserindustriesthatweremaintainedthere;nowhefoundthateachoneoftheselesserindustrieswasaseparatelittleinferno,initswayashorribleasthekillingbeds,thesourceandfountainofthemall.
Theworkersineachofthemhadtheirownpeculiardiseases.
Andthewanderingvisitormightbeskepticalaboutalltheswindles,buthecouldnotbeskepticalaboutthese,fortheworkerboretheevidenceofthemaboutonhisownperson—generallyhehadonlytoholdouthishand.
Therewerethemeninthepicklerooms,forinstance,whereoldAntanashadgottenhisdeath;scarceaoneofthesethathadnotsomespotofhorroronhisperson.
Letamansomuchasscrapehisfingerpushingatruckinthepicklerooms,andhemighthaveasorethatwouldputhimoutoftheworld;allthejointsinhisfingersmightbeeatenbytheacid,onebyone.
Ofthebutchersandfloorsmen,thebeef-bonersandtrimmers,andallthosewhousedknives,youcouldscarcelyfindapersonwhohadtheuseofhisthumb;timeandtimeagainthebaseofithadbeenslashed,tillitwasamerelumpoffleshagainstwhichthemanpressedtheknifetoholdit.
Thehandsofthesemenwouldbecriss-crossedwithcuts,untilyoucouldnolongerpretendtocountthemortotracethem.
Theywouldhavenonails,—theyhadwornthemoffpullinghides;theirknuckleswereswollensothattheirfingersspreadoutlikeafan.
Thereweremenwhoworkedinthecookingrooms,inthemidstofsteamandsickeningodors,byartificiallight;intheseroomsthegermsoftuberculosismightlivefortwoyears,butthesupplywasrenewedeveryhour.
Therewerethebeef-luggers,whocarriedtwo-hundred-poundquartersintotherefrigerator-cars;afearfulkindofwork,thatbeganatfouro’clockinthemorning,andthatworeoutthemostpowerfulmeninafewyears.
Therewerethosewhoworkedinthechillingrooms,andwhosespecialdiseasewasrheumatism;thetimelimitthatamancouldworkinthechillingroomswassaidtobefiveyears.
Therewerethewool-pluckers,whosehandswenttopiecesevensoonerthanthehandsofthepicklemen;forthepeltsofthesheephadtobepaintedwithacidtoloosenthewool,andthenthepluckershadtopulloutthiswoolwiththeirbarehands,tilltheacidhadeatentheirfingersoff.
Therewerethosewhomadethetinsforthecannedmeat;andtheirhands,too,wereamazeofcuts,andeachcutrepresentedachanceforbloodpoisoning.
Someworkedatthestampingmachines,anditwasveryseldomthatonecouldworklongthereatthepacethatwasset,andnotgiveoutandforgethimselfandhaveapartofhishandchoppedoff.
Therewerethe“hoisters,”astheywerecalled,whosetaskitwastopresstheleverwhichliftedthedeadcattleoffthefloor.
Theyranalonguponarafter,peeringdownthroughthedampandthesteam;andasoldDurham’sarchitectshadnotbuiltthekillingroomfortheconvenienceofthehoisters,ateveryfewfeettheywouldhavetostoopunderabeam,sayfourfeetabovetheonetheyranon;whichgotthemintothehabitofstooping,sothatinafewyearstheywouldbewalkinglikechimpanzees.
Worstofany,however,werethefertilizermen,andthosewhoservedinthecookingrooms.
Thesepeoplecouldnotbeshowntothevisitor,—fortheodorofafertilizermanwouldscareanyordinaryvisitoratahundredyards,andasfortheothermen,whoworkedintankroomsfullofsteam,andinsomeofwhichtherewereopenvatsnearthelevelofthefloor,theirpeculiartroublewasthattheyfellintothevats;andwhentheywerefishedout,therewasneverenoughofthemlefttobeworthexhibiting,—sometimestheywouldbeoverlookedfordays,tillallbutthebonesofthemhadgoneouttotheworldasDurham’sPureLeafLard!
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